Way back when I was in school, I remember the first week back in class after summer holidays and the What I did on my summer holidays assignment.
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- Annabelle Simpson
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1 SERMONTITLE: GodDoesn tquit TEXT:1Timothy2:1 6 PREACHEDAT:NeighbourhoodChurch BY:RyanDueck DATE:August1,2010/10 th SundayAfterPentecost WaybackwhenIwasinschool,Irememberthefirstweekbackinclassaftersummer holidaysandthe WhatIdidonmysummerholidays assignment. Idon trecalleverbeingparticularlyanxioustodotheseassignmentsbecause,a)i wasn tterriblyexcitedtobebackinschool;andb)becauseforafarmkid, whatidid oversummer ofteninvolvedshovelingmanureandchasingpigsaroundasweltering hotbarn;ididn tthinkwasnearlyasexcitingasdisneylandandprobablynotworth sharingwiththebroadermiddleschoolworld(ofcourseididhave real holidays,too). Wellwe restillinthemiddleofsummer(noneedtohaveananxietyattackjustyet!), butourfamilyhasjustreturnedfromoursummerholidaysandasiwaspreparingfor thissundayitkindoffeltlikethatfirstweekbackinschool(minusthechildish resentmentandbitternessaboutfarmwork ). Therewassomeshakingoutofthevacationcobwebsaswellasabitoflookingbackat ourtimespentbackwithfamilyandfriendsinalbertaasireflectedonthismorning s passage. Everypreacherinvariablybringsherorhisownexperiencetothetaskoftryingto interpretthetask.sowhenisatdownonwednesdaywith1timothy2andbegan workingonthisweek ssermon,ifoundmyselfforagingaroundmyexperiencesofthe lastfewweekstofindawayintothetext. So,whatdidIdoonmysummerholidays?Well,Ihadalotofinterestingconversations. AtCelebration2010(nottechnicallypartofmyholidays,butpartofmytimespent away),ihadachancetositdownwithpeoplefromacrossthecanadianmbworld;i listenedtostoriesofhowgodisatworkinplaceslikehepburn,sk,langley,bc, Fresno,CA,Winnipeg,MB,andCoaldale,AB. IgottomeetpeopleIalreadyknewandgottoknowalotofgoodpeopleIhadnever metbefore;imetsomegoodpeopleforthefirsttime. ThenitwasofftostaywithfamilyinsouthernAlbertaforourholidayswhereIhadmore conversations.ireconnectedwithalotofpeoplethatiunfortunatelyseefartoorarely. Onceuponatime,therewasagroupofusinsouthernAlberta.Wewereallabunchof eager beaver20 somethingswhoweregoingtochangethechurch.now,weareinour 1
2 30 sand40 sandwe veexperiencedabitmoreoflife supsanddowns.we veprobably realizedthatweknowless aboutfaith,aboutchurch,aboutkids,andaboutlotsof otherthings thanweoncethoughtwedid! Wehavedifferentlevelsofappreciationforthechurchthesedays.Somehave maintainedastrongcommitmenttothechurch,despitetheupsanddownsand continuetobeveryinvolved,whetherinpositionsofpastoralleadershiporlay involvement.othershavebeenburnedbythechurchandhavegrownsomewhat disillusioned.othersaresomewhereinbetween. Oneconversationwithagoodfriendwhowouldprobablybeinthe disillusioned camp standsout.here swhathesaid: I mnotthatinterestedinchurchanymore.igobecauseit sgoodformykids,buti couldreallytakeitorleaveit.toomuchsquabblingabouttrivialstuffthathas nothingtodowithfollowingjesus,toomuchpolitics,toolittleflexibilityor willingnesstoconsidernewideas. Thisisnot,byanymeans,someonewhonolongerbelievesinGodorwhohasturned theirbackongodoranythinglikethat.thisissomeonewhocontinuestobedeeply convincedthatjesusistheanswertothebiggestquestionswehave. Butthisisapersonwhohasquestions.Thisissomeonewho,asaleader,experienced someoftheuglinessthatchurchesarecapableof.thisisapersonwhowonders whetherwearedoingchurchasweshould. Thisisapersonwhoishappytosay yes tojesus.butthechurch?they renotsosure. Soundfamiliar?I msuremanyofknowofwithstorieslikethese,whetherit sfromour friends,familymembers,co workers...theyaretragicallyuncommon. TherearemanypeoplethesedayswhoareattractedbyJesus,butrepelledbythe church. Thisweek snewsprovidedanotherhigh profileexample.famousamericannovelist AnneRice(thebestsellingnovelistmostpopularlyknownfor"Interviewwiththe Vampire"andherothercreepyvampirenovels whichhavesoldover100million copies)wasraisedromancatholic,leftthechurch,andreturnedin1998.here swhat shesaidinaboutherreturntochristianityin1998: IrealizedthatthegreatestthingIcoulddotoshowmycompleteloveforHimwas toconsecratemyworktohim touseanytalentihadacquiredasawriter,asa storyteller,asanovelist forhimandforhimalone. 2
3 Soundsfantastic.Well,thisweek,twelveyearslater,Ricecausedquiteabuzzin declaringthatshehas quitchristianity. Shemadethefollowingannouncement,via herfacebookpage: "Forthosewhocare,andIunderstandifyoudon t:todayiquitbeingachristian. I mout.iremaincommittedtochristasalwaysbutnottobeing Christian orto beingpartofchristianity.it ssimplyimpossibleformeto belong tothis quarrelsome,hostile,disputatious,anddeservedlyinfamousgroup.fortenyears, I vetried.i vefailed.i manoutsider.myconsciencewillallownothingelse." MyfaithinChristiscentraltomylife.Myconversionfromapessimisticatheistlost inaworldididn'tunderstand,toanoptimisticbelieverinauniversecreatedand sustainedbyalovinggodiscrucialtome.butfollowingchristdoesnotmean followinghisfollowers.christisinfinitelymoreimportantthanchristianityand alwayswillbe,nomatterwhatchristianityis,hasbeen,ormightbecome. IquitbeingaChristian.I mout.inthenameofchrist,irefusetobeanti gay.i refusetobeanti feminist.irefusetobeanti artificialbirthcontrol.irefusetobe anti Democrat.Irefusetobeanti secularhumanism.irefusetobeanti science.i refusetobeanti life.inthenameofchrist,iquitchristianityandbeingchristian. Amen. Therearemanythingsthatcouldbesaid(andarebeingsaid thebloggingworldwas abuzzthisweek!)aboutannerice scommentshere.wecouldtalkabouther understandingoftheroleofthechurchaschrist sbody,abouthowitisimpossibleto followjesusinisolation,abouthowbeingachristiandoesnotrequireyoutoidentify withthewholelistof anti s thatricementioned.wecouldeventalkaboutthe weirdnessofannouncingsomethingthissignificantonfacebook! ButIhadthevacationconversationwithmyfriendinmyheadasIreadRice sstory. Whatisit,aboutthechurchthatturnspeopleoff? Ofcourseitisalwaysaparticularchurchthatturnsparticularpeoplewithparticular experiencesandunderstandingsofgodandfaithoff. Anditisnotalwaysthechurch sfaultwhenpeoplequitonit.thisisimportanttosay. WeliveinacontextwherepeopleoftenwantGodontheirownterms,withoutallof thatmessy otherpeoplestuff. Soit snotfairtotalkabout thechurch ashavingaproblembecausemyfriendor AnneRiceorthepeopleyouhappentoknowwhoarenolongerveryinterestedinit. 3
4 Buttheirquestionsandconcernsshouldmakeusstopandthink.Weallknowthatthe churchisn tperfect.thechurchneedstolistentovoicesfrombothinsideandoutside. SometimesGodhasthingstosaytousthroughsourceswemightnotexpect. SometimescriticsofthechurchareablessingbecausetheyhelpushearGod svoiceto usinnewways. Ithinkourtextthismorninghassomethingtoteachusabouthowwearetoliveand worshipasachurchinanageof church quitting. READ1TIMOTHY2:1 6 SowhatmightthispassagehavetodowithAnneRiceormyfriendinAlbertaor moderntwenty firstcenturyfolkswhoaretickedofforapathetictowardthechurch? Well,asalways,weneedtobeginwiththeoriginalcontext. Oneofthemostbasicprinciplesofbiblicalinterpretationisthatyouhavetofirst understandwhatthetextwouldhavemeanttoitsinitialhearers/readersintheircontext andonlythenmoveontowhatitmightmeanforustoday. Itisimportanttorememberthat1Timothyisaletterthatwaswrittentoaddressvery specificproblemsinthechurchataparticulartimeinhistoryandinaparticularplace. Paulwasnotwritingthislettertoabunchofskepticalpost Christianresidentsofthe globalvillage.1timothywaswrittenfortheveryspecificpurposeofaddressingchurch disciplineissues.itseemsthattherewerefalseteachersfromwithinabunchofhouse churchesinephesuswhowereleadingpeopleastray. Idon thavetimetoaddresstheissueofwhattheseteacherswereteaching(mainly becausethescholarsdon tseemtoagreeonwhatwasgoingon),buttherewerepeople frominsidethechurchcausingdivisionbasedonquarrelsaboutdoctrineandmattersof orderinworship. Chapteronemakesthisclear:ittalksabout certainpersonsteachingfalsedoctrine and peoplewhohavedepartedfromthegoal lovewhichcomesfromapureheart andagoodconscienceandpurefaith,andtoward meaninglesstalk. Timothyis basicallybeingconscriptedbypaultoputalidonthefalseteachingthatisdistracting peoplefromthepointoffaithandconfusingtheirworship. How?Well,interestingly1Timothy2startsbytalkingabouthowweshouldprayand whoweshouldprayfor.andthewholesectionseemstobedealingwithinstructions onworship! 4
5 So,atleastonthesurface,itdoesn tseemlikeourpassagetodayinitsinitialcontext hasmuchtodowiththewhole quittingchurch themethati vejustbeentalking about. ButIthinkthatbeneaththesurfacethereisaconnection. Inbothcontexts firstcenturyephesusandtwenty firstcenturynorthamerica there areconflictsaboutwhatchurchissupposedtolooklike,abouthowwe resupposedto doit. Whetheritisfirstcenturytroublemakerspreachingfalsedoctrinefromwithinthe churchortwenty firstcenturyskepticsquittingchurchbecauseofitsmany shortcomings(accordingtothem),thereisanage oldquestionlurking: IsbeingaChristianprimarilyaboutbelieforbehaviour. Isitaboutbelievingtherightthings aboutourselves,aboutgod,abouthistory?isit about,asannericeseemstothink,beinganti thisoranti that(beingagainsttheright things).orisitaboutdoingtherightthings Thequestionisespeciallyrelevantforushereinthetwenty firstcentury.duetothings liketheexplosionofknowledgeviatheinternet,theshrinkingofborders,immigration, etc,weareincreasinglyawarethattherearemanypeopleinourcommunities,our province,ournationwhodonotbelievewhatwebelieve. Probablytoanextentunlikeanyotherinhistory,weholdourChristianconvictionsin themarketplaceofideasthatispopulatedbyinnumerableotheroptions.thiscanhave adisorientingeffectonthecontentofourfaith. Sowhenthecontentisoneofmanyotheroptions,itbecomeseasiertofocusonthe practice.ifwecan tagreeaboutwhattobelieve,perhapswecanleastagreeabout whattodo.perhapstherewillbelessconflictifwejustdecidetoignorebeliefsand focusonbehaviour. Attheveryleast,thiscanbeahelpfulapproachtofindingastartingpointfor conversationwithpeoplewhodon tagreewithusabout,say,thenatureofchrist,the meaningofthecross,etc. I veusedthisapproachmyself.veryoften,whentalkingtosomeonewhodisagrees withmeaboutwhatbeliefsaretrueaboutreality,iwilltalkinsteadaboutbehaviour. SometimesIuseamarriageanalogyIonceheard:ifacoupleishavingahardtime feelinglovingorbelievingthattheyloveeachother,counselorsoftentellthemtoactas 5
6 iftheylovedeachotherforaweekandseewhathappens.inasense,thecoupleis beingtoldtobehavetheirwayintofeeling. Inthesameway,ifwearefindingithardtobelieveinGod,sometimesweneedtoact asifwedid.wegotochurch,wepray,wegive,weshowcompassiontotheneedy,we loveourneighbourevenwhenit sinconvenientorpainfuland,sometimealongthe way,wefindourbeliefstrengthened.justlikeinthemarriageexample,webehaveour wayintobelief. Perhapsinaffirmingthegoodthatisdonebythosearoundus,regardlessofthebelief thatismotivatingit,peoplewillgraduallybeconvincedofthelordshipandpurposesof thegodwhomadethemtowanttolongforandrespondtogoodness. Butevenifthisisagoodpracticalstrategytoadoptfromtimetotime,thebigger questionremains.whatistheconnection?isbelieforbehaviourthemainthing? Theanswer andithinkpaulandtimothywouldagree is:both. Beliefisthemainthing. Behaviouristhemainthing. Theyarenotmeanttobeseparated. Godintendsourbelieftoleadtolovingbehaviour behaviourcharacterizedbythefruit ofthespiritingalatians5(love,joy,peace,patience,kindness,goodness, faithfulness,gentlenessandself control). Butthereverseisalsotrue,aswesawinthemarriageexample.Behaviourcanleadto belief. Ithinkweseethisatworkinourpassagethismorning: In1Tim.2:1 4weseethebehaviourpart. PaultellsTimothytotellthechurchtodosomething.Theyaresupposedtoprayfor everyone eventhosetheymightnotthinkobviouslikethoseingovernmentand authority(aswedidthismorning).why?because: 1. Itmayhavetheresultofallowingthechurchtolivepeacefulandquietlivesand allowthemtopursuegodlinessandholiness 2. Moreimportantly,becauseitpleasesGodwhowantsallpeopletobesavedand cometoaknowledgeofthetruth 6
7 Thebehaviourofthechurch,throughprayerforallpeople,eventhosewhodonot thinklikeusoragreewithusorbehavelikeus,throughpeacefulandquietlivesof godlinessandholiness,canplayapartingod sdesirethateveryonebesavedandcome toaknowledgeofthetruth. Whenthechurch sfocusiswhereitissupposedtobe onwhatpaulcallsthe goal of loveachapterearlier God sintentionsforthewholeworldaremovedforward. Ourbehaviourcanleadtobelief forourselves,andforawatchingworld.theworld canseeourgoodworksandglorifyourfatherwhoisinheaven,asjesussaysinthe SermonontheMount(Mat.5:12). Wouldn titbegreatifpeoplelookedatthechurchandinsteadofthinkingnegative thingslikeannericethinksormyfriendthinksorthepeopleyourubshouldersthink, thought, Iadmirethosepeople.Ilovehowtheyloveeachother.Iadmirehowthey live.theyhavepurehearts,goodconsciences,andsincerefaith.theyseemtoget whatlifeisfor,whatitmeanstobehuman.iwanttoknowmoreaboutwhytheyare thewaytheyare. Whenthechurchisfocusingonthegoal,thisiswhatIthinkcanhappen. Butbehaviourisn teverything. In1Tim.2:5 6weseethebeliefpart. PaulisveryclearaboutwhathebelievesandwhathewantsTimothytoremindthe churchinephesus: ForthereisoneGodandonemediatorbetweenGodandhumanbeings,ChristJesus, himselfhuman, 6 whogavehimselfasaransomforallpeople. BeliefisimportanttoPaul.Paulisclear in1timothyandinallofhisotherletters thatwecannotattainsalvationthroughourownactions.nobodycanbehavetheirway intothekingdomofgod.believingthatgodistruthfulandthathehasaccomplished allthatisnecessaryforoursalvationiscrucial. Paulisbigonbelief.2Timothy1:9speaksoftheGod whohassavedusandcalledus toaholylife notbecauseofanythingwehavedonebutbecauseofhisownpurpose andgrace. ButPaulknowsthatbeliefseparatedfrombehaviourdoesn tconvinceawatching worldofthetruthofthegospel.itdoesn tgivethe IlikeJesusbutnotthechurch folksagoodreasontorethinktheirpositions. 7
8 Andactually,asidefromthequestionofhowweappeartotheworldaroundus,belief withoutbehaviourisn tevenpossible. ThebookofJamesmakesthisclearerthananywhereelseinScripturewhenittalks abouthowfaithwithoutworksisnofaithatall. ButPaultalksaboutthisthemeaswell.InRomans6,forexample,hetalksabouthow asthosetouchedbygrace,wehavebeensetfreefromthebondageofsinandarenow freetobecomeslavesofrighteousness. InhislettertotheColossianshetalksabouthowasfollowersofJesuswehavetakenoff theoldselfandputonthenewself whichisbeingrenewedinknowledgeintheimage ofitscreator. Onceagain,weseeastrongconnectionbetweenbehaviourandbelief.Theycannotbe separated. Now,perhapsyou rethinkingsomethingalongtheselines:wellthatsoundsalittle simplistic!heseemstobesayingthatifwealljustlovedeachotherthennobodywould getangryandleavethechurchanymore.thatifwewerealljustnicerpeopletherewould benomorechurch quitters. Well,I mnotactuallysayingthat.i mnotnaïve.therewillalwaysbepeoplewholike Jesusbutnotthechurch sometimesforreasonsthatareatleastunderstandable, sometimesforreasonsthatareselfishandsilly. IthinkAnneRiceisrightaboutsomethingsandwrongaboutsomeothers.Ithinkthat myfriendinabisrightaboutsomethingsandwrongaboutothers. Itisimportanttodoaskquestionsandpushbackwhenpeoplequitthechurchbasedon acaricaturethatisn tappropriate. But,whateverisgoingonintheheartsandmindsofthosewhoarequittingchurch,I thinkpaul swordstotimothyofferusareminderthathowweliveasthechurch mattersinanagewherepeoplearen tinterestedinchurch. WearetoloveandhonourandprayforthepeoplethatGodloves.Whichiseveryone. ThescopeofGod sloveisuniversal. Godwantsallpeopletobesavedandcometoaknowledgeofthetruth,andhowwe liveandloveandprayandbehaveandhopetogetherasachurchispartofhowthiswill happen. 8
9 Wecannotstopeveryonefromquittingonthechurch.Thereareasmanyreasonsfor peoplewalkingawayfromthechurchastherearepeople. Butwecanconsistently,inhowwespeakandhowweact,pointtotheGodwho doesn tquitonhispeople.thegodwhoispleased,whoishappy,whosmilesdown uponuswhenwekeepthemainthing beliefandbehaviouraspartofawholelife offeredtochrist themainthing. Amen. 9
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